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-   -   BeNeLux for 6nights and 7days (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/benelux-for-6nights-and-7days-1082256/)

ChethanSP29 Dec 27th, 2015 05:22 AM

BeNeLux for 6nights and 7days
 
Dear All,

I am visiting Munich & Zurich during mid Feb 2016 & 1st week of March 2016. Then from Zurich i am planning to travel BeNeLux for a week and then back to my city Bengaluru, India. Could any one guide me how to reach and give me the plan which all places to cover in BeNeLux in a week? how much will be the budget on approx?

tonfromleiden Dec 27th, 2015 06:03 AM

With the limited time you've got, I would limit myself to Amsterdam and Brussel. Amsterdam is possibly the best place for flying in and out. (With some random dates in early March I've seen return flights for some EUR 109, without checked luggage.)
Brussel can be reached from Amsterdam in 2 or 3 hours, depending on the type of train (Thalys or intercity). Return tickets can be got for some EUR 100.
The other costs depends very much on the kind of hotel you take, your meals, what museums you visit, and possiby day trips. Unless you put yourself under a strict budgettary regime, it won't come under EUR 100 a day.

nytraveler Dec 27th, 2015 10:08 AM

You cannot begin to see 3 whole countries in one week. You will need to be very selective in order to have time to see anything.

If you tell us what your interests are people can help guide you to 2 or at most 3 places to see something. (If I have to work blind I would allow 3 days - 4 nights - for Amsterdam and then spend a couple of days in Brugge and Ghent. You need to allow for the possibility of travel delays due to bad weather - even though much of europe seems to have been oddly warm so far this winter

Separately, not sure why you are spending so much time in Zurich (which is a business city and not in the mountains - although in Feb mountains would be for winter sports anyway).

ChethanSP29 Dec 27th, 2015 11:23 PM

Thank you tonfromleiden & nytraveler, My interest would be beach, pub and some museum or historical monuments.

As I am visiting Munich & zurich as a business trip, i had to spend those three weeks in that palces. After that I will be in vacation for 1week so planning for BeNeLux trip.

tonfromleiden Dec 27th, 2015 11:38 PM

February/March is hardly beach season in this part of the world.

ChethanSP29 Dec 27th, 2015 11:42 PM

@ tonfromleiden , ok other than beach, like some museum or historical monuments, night life, mountains etc

tonfromleiden Dec 28th, 2015 02:19 AM

I get the impression you've got no idea what these countries has to offer and what not. Wouldn't it be much better to orientate yourself by buying a guidebook or having a look at websites like www.visitbelgium.com/ and www.visitholland.nl/?

ChethanSP29 Dec 28th, 2015 02:35 AM

Thank you tonfromleiden , actually i have no idea what these countries is famous for. I thought of visting as i have one week time. Do you have any suggestions?

tonfromleiden Dec 28th, 2015 02:53 AM

It's your trip and you have to decide what to do. Go to the two websites I gave links for.

nytraveler Dec 28th, 2015 04:44 AM

The BeNeLux countries are - for the most part - flat as a pancake. Some hills in eastern parts of Belgium but NO mountains. And there is no place in europe in Feb that has beach weather - it is a temperate climate - not a tropical one.

For mountains you should visit the Alps while in Swtiz - but there will be tons of snow (and cold - even colder than BeNeLux) and a major focus on winter sports.

BeNeLux countries have numerous charming cities, wonderful museums (art, folk, histpric, etc), historic sights from WWII (Battle of the Bulge among others) back into the mists of time, lots of interesting castles. As well as gems like Brugge, which appears to be frozen in the 13th to 16th centuries:

http://investarchitect.blogspot.tw/2...developer.html

Fussgaenger Dec 28th, 2015 07:06 AM

"I am visiting Munich & Zurich during mid Feb 2016 & 1st week of March 2016. Then from Zurich i am planning to travel BeNeLux for a week and then back to my city Bengaluru, India... how much will be the budget on approx?"

Why not visit some of the places in Germany and Switzerland that you are missing?? Amsterdam is 9-10 hours by train from Zurich, and it seems like a long, expensive trip to make without any specific goals in mind and with concerns about your budget.

There's much, much more to see in Germany and Austria, stuff that is very different from Munich and Zurich. In less than 2 hours you could be in Freiburg, Germany, for example, the gateway to the Black Forest. Basel and Bern are interesting cities in Switzerland, and they're on the way to Freiburg. From Freiburg you are also very close to the French cities of Colmar and Strasbourg. Stuttgart is only 3 hours from Zurich.

pariswat Dec 28th, 2015 08:51 AM

Base in Brussels. See grand place Dublin and atomium.
Go to Bruges
Go to Ghent
If interested Ieper and WW1 memorials
Go to Antwerp.

Then base in Amsterdam by train from Brussels
See the center go in a river cruise
Go to Haarlem.

Forget Luxembourg.

PalenQ Dec 28th, 2015 08:56 AM

going by train I presume if so check out the Germany-Benelux Railpass that lets you hop virtually any train anytime in all those countries (except Switzerland) but compare with individual ticket prices too - great info on European trains: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com.

BeNeLux - Amsterdam of course the big kahuna - 3 full days
Bruges is so so sweet - 1 full day
Use it or Gent as a base and visit also Antwerp or Brussels.

Fly out of Brussels or Amsterdam.

There is a night train between both Zurich and Munich and Amsterdam - save money on an accommodation and daytime travel time.

angilu Dec 28th, 2015 10:07 AM

If you like travelling by train and getting a flavour of many places, I would recommend taking a train to Strasbourg (2h30, changing in Basel), staying overnight and visiting the town for a day. From there you can take a direct train to Brussels. Half way through the 5-6h journey, the train passes Luxembourg City - old town is nice and you can visit in half a day. If you have time for an extra day, I would consider visiting the medieval castle of Vianden or the Mosel wine region and Trier in neighbouring Germany. I would then spend 2 days in Brussels, adding if possible a day excursion to Bruges, maybe going up to Knokkes for a walk at the beach and seafood eating. Then from Brussels train to Amsterdam for 2 days before flight home. If you do this, it might be worth to look into getting an Interrail Global Pass. Alternatively as suggested in another post, just fly to Amsterdam from Zurich and focus on visiting Amsterdam and Brussels - you can easily spend 3 or 4 days in each of those cities!


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